Pipelines are used to transport fluids in various industries, including chemical, oil and gas, and manufacturing industries. These industries use processes that require accurate measurements of fluid flow rates. Measurements can be taken at locations such as a meter station.
Meters that are used to measure fluid flow rates can function in several different ways. For example, meters can use any one of the following to measure fluid flow rates: (1) differential pressure of the fluid across an obstruction, (2) ultrasonic signal travel times, (3) turbine blade rotational speed, (4) Coriolis forces, and/or (5) electrical and magnetic fields being generated due to bulk fluid movement. Moreover, almost all measurement methods require the use of a fluid velocity distribution or velocity flow profile.
To achieve accurate fluid measurements, the flow profile of a fluid entering a metering device must be generally stable, non-rotating, and symmetric. Ongoing analysis and constant monitoring of thermal, hydraulic, and production chemistry issues during the flow of fluids through pipelines may be necessary to achieve performance goals.
One aspect of such analysis and monitoring involves minimizing flow disturbances, optimizing recovery, and enhancing overall production over the usable life of a system, a production field, a plant, and/or a pipeline, and the like. As such, one issue involves the management of solid depositions including, but not limited to, wax formation, hydrate formation, or asphaltene deposition during operations, planned and/or emergency shutdowns, and prior to startups after any prolonged shutdown.
In particular, solids deposition may be an issue in climates, such as in northern Europe, northern North America, or at high altitudes, where the fluid in pipelines is colder than in more southern climates.
With regard to hydrate formation, when water is in the presence of a gas at certain pressures and temperatures, bonding can take place between molecules of water and molecules of light hydrocarbon gas such as methane, ethane, and propane. As a result of this bonding, particles known as hydrates form and accumulate at various points along a flow path. Hydrate formation and accumulation can potentially block the passage of fluids altogether and detrimentally affect system performance.
Moreover, although flow conditioners can be generally used to correct the flow profile of the fluid such that it forms a fully-developed flow profile, flow conditioners are generally incapable of minimizing or preventing adverse solid buildup or deposition. Therefore, it would be useful and beneficial to have flow conditioners capable of minimizing or preventing solid depositions.